Bracing structure for folding beds



1 J. M. THOMAS BRACING STRUCTURE FOR FOLDING BEDS Original Filed March 17, 1924 INVENTQR I JET/10mm,

, BY C r ATTORNEYS WITNESS Q ll f M H.

' herein Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

Original application filed March 17,

JESSEE MILTON THOMAS, 0F TAMPA, FLORIDA.

BRACING STRUCTURE FOR FQLDI-NTG BED-S.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1,.Jnssnn M. THOMAS,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tampa, 5 borough and State of Florida,

vented certain in the county of Hillshave innew and useful Improvemerits in Bracing Structures for Folding Beds, of which tion.

the following is a specifica- My invention relates to improvements in bracing structures for the meeting ends of sections of the like frame, tions,

The present my application in folding beds,,filed March 17, 1924',

An objectof provision of a constructions described and claimed.

frame of a folding bed or and it consists in the combinaand arrangements application is a division of for patent for improvement Serial the present invention is the light but at the same time,

strong and durable bracing structure for the meeting end portions of the sections of the frame of a folding structure affording facilities for bracing bed or like device, the

positively preventing collapse of the frame at the meeting ends thereof when the frame is extendedand for bracing the nieeting-end portions of the out preventing of the frames withfolding sections or interfering with of the frame whendesired.

Other objects vention will be and advantages of the inapparent from the following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding bed equipped with a practical embodiment of the vinventio Figure 2 is meeting ends-o 7 a fragmentary plan view of f side rails of the frame and of the adjacent elements of the bracing structure,

Figure 3 1s view, showing Figure 2 with broken away and the position side rails a fragmentary perspective the structure exhibited in an end portion of one of the thereof indicated by dash and dot-lines and Figure 4 isran end view of the bed frame exhibited in Figure 1, with the supporting members at the ends of the bed frame omitted.

In Figure 1,

I show a bed frame comprisspectively, the

section 1 being pivotally attached adjacent to its inner end, as at 3 to a support and inwardly about a horizontalaxis from 7 portion to 1924, Serial No. 699,928. Divided. and this application filed February Serial No. 10,132.

4; and being swingable upwardly horizontal position asshown in Figure 1 to the position close to-the support 4. The-secnon-2 is provided at its outer end with a supporting structure, su ch as thatindicated {generally at '5 known construction adapted to supportgthe which may be of any suitable outer end portion of the section'Qr on aflat supportingsurface, as-at 6 so that-the section 2 will be substantially horizontal and will lie in the plane-of thesection 1-when the latter is horizontal.

Each of the sections 1 and 2-isishown as having side rails. The meeting ends of corresponding side'rails ofthe ,twosections are provided with lapped-portions attached to each other by ahorizontalpivot element, as at 7 the two pivot elements? being-axially alined and lying'in an axisWhich is transverse to the length of the bed frame.

The meeting ends of the 'sections ;1 and 2 are braced against collapse from horizontal position when the {,frame is extended as shown inFigure 1 by a bracing structure truss-like member indicated generally at 8.

1 embodyingv the invention and including a This truss-like member 8 isformd of a single tubular member .bent tOflDlOVidB a substantially U-shaped 'body portion i8? and a portion 8 for reinforcingthe body-portion and for staying thearms of 'th'e body .the web of the body portion. The reinforcing or staying portionr8' overlies the body portion {8 and has'the intermediate portion thereof secured to the web of the body .portion 8 by a plurality of spaced .rivets9. The reinforcin or staying member 8 then curves diagomillybetween the web of the body portion S andthe ends ofthe latter, beingmerged integrally at one end into the end of one armof'the U-shaped body portion 8 and being secured at its other end by welding or in any othersuitable' known manner arm of the U-shaped body portion. The connected together end portions of the ,U-shaped [body :8? and Ofitl'le rein forcing staying element8 arefiattened as indicated at 8.

The portion 8 effectively braces and stays the arms .of the ;Ushaped body portion 8 to ,the web ofsaidbody portion'andtends .to hold thelatter substantially rigid.

Angular bracing members 10 and fibreto'the end of-the-second spectively are associated with each arm of the U-shaped body portion 8*. One arm of each of the angular bracing members 10 and 11 is relatively long, while the other arm is shorter. The relatively long arm of the bracing member 10 is attached by a horizontal pivot element 12 to the adjacent side rail of one of the frame sections 1 or 2, as to the frame section 1 as illustrated in Figure 1, at a short distance from the inner end of the side rail. The relatively long arm of the other bracing member 11, is attached by a horizontal pivot element 13 to the corresponding side rail of the other bed frame section at the same distance from the inner end of the second bed frame section as the pivot element 12 is located from the inner end of the first bed frame section. The relatively long arms of the bracing members 10 and 11 are equal in length and are pivotally connected to each other at the juncture of the relatively long and the shorter arms of the bracing members 10 and 11 by a horizontal pivot element 14 which is parallel to the pivot elements 12 and 13 and which also connects the members 10 and 11 to the adjacent arm of the substantially U-shaped body portion 8 of the aforesaid truss. The relatively long arms of the members 10 and 11 therefore may be termedrigid links which cooperate with the pivot elements 14 and 13 to con nect the Ushaped body portion 8 of the truss to the sections of the bed frame. The relatively short arms of each pair of members 10 and 11 may be considered rigid angular extensions at the inner ends of the pair of members 10 and 11 for a purpose which will be hereinafter stated.

With this arrangement, the axes of the two pivot elements 14 will be alined with each other and will lie in a vertical plane in which the axes of the alined pivot elements 7 are disposed. The shorter arms of the bracing members 10 and 11 depend below the level of the pivotal connection at 14 and have notches, as at 15 and 16 respectively for engaging with opposite sides of a horizontal stud projection 17 when the bed frame has been extended so that the sections 1 and 2 lie in the same horizontal plane, as illustrated in Figure 1, the stud projection 17 for each pair of members 10 and 11 being carried by the adjacent arm of the U-shaped body portion 8 of the truss at a lower level than the adjacent pivot element 14 and in the same vertical plane as the corresponding pivot elements 14 and 7.

It is to be noted at this point that the position of the pivot elements 14 on the arms of the U-shaped body portion of the truss and the length of the members 10 and 11 are such that the joined together ends of the arms of the Ushaped body portion 8 and the staying portion 8 of the truss will bear against the under faces of the meeting end portions of the side rails of the alined bed frame sections 1 and 2 when the bed frame sections are in horizontal position, and the walls of the notches 15 and 16 of each pair of members 10 and 11 are in contact with opposite sides of the associated stud projection 17. Each stud projection 17 may be termed a stop which cooperates with the associated bracing members 10 and 11 to limit the relative swinging movement of the sections 1 and 2 in one direction about the pivot elements 7 so that collapse of the meeting ends of the sections 1 and 2 from the position illustrated in Figure l is prevented. At the same time, the outer ends of the sections 1 and 2 may be swung upwardly and toward each other to cause folding of the bed frame without such folding being retarded by the members 10 and 11 and the stops 17 on the truss. In the case of the particular frame exhibited in Figure 1, the outer end of the section 1 is attached to a stationary support and therefore folding of the bed frame will be effected by swinging the outer end of the section 2 upwardly and then downwardly upon the section 1. However, it is obvious that the improved bracing structure is applicable to hinged together sections of frames other than the particular frame which is illustrated in Figure 1, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Also it is manifest that the particular bracing structure which is illustrated in the drawings and which has been described in the foregoing may be modified and changed in immaterial details without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A bracing structure for a frame having a pair of sections pivotally connected together to swing to and from position to lie in the same horizontal plane, said bracing structure comprising a truss-like supporting member having a substantially U-shaped body portion and a portion bracing the U shaped body portion, and cooperative elements carried by said U-shaped body portion of the truss-like member and the adjacent ends of the bed frame sections for acting conjointly with the truss-like member and the sections of the bed frame to hold said bed frame against collapse when the sections are horizontally alined, said body portion and said bracing portion of the truss-like member being integral portions of a single tubular member, the bracing portion being secured intermediate its length upon the web of the U-shaped body portion and having connection at its ends with the ends of the U-shaped body portion.

"= bracing portion being secured 2. A bracing structure for a frame having a pair of sections pivotally connected together to swing to and from position to lie in the same horizontal plane, said bracing structure comprising a truss-like supporting member having a substantially U-shaped body portion and a portion bracing the U- shaped body portion, and cooperative elements carried by said U-shaped body portion of the truss-like member and the adjacent ends of the bed frame sections for acting conjointly with the truss-like member and the sections of the bed frame to hold said bed frame against collapse when the sections are horizontally alined, said body portion and said bracing portion of the truss-like member being integral port-ions of a single tubular member, the bracing portion being secured intermediate its length upon the web of the U-shaped body portion and having connection at its ends with the ends of the U-shaped body portion, the connected together end portions of the Ushaped body and bracing portion being flattened.

3. In a device of the character described, a truss-like supporting member formed of a single tubular member bent to provide a substantially U-sha-ped body portion and a portion bracing the U-shaped body portion, the intermediate its length to the web of the U-shaped body portion and being integrally joined at one of its ends to an end of the U-shaped body and rigidly secured at its other end to the second end of the U-shaped body, the joined together end portions of said U-shaped body and said bracing portion being flattened.

4. In a device of the character described, a truss-like supporting member formed of a single tubular member bent to provide a substantially U-shaped body portion and a portion bracing the U-shaped body portion, the bracing portion being secured intermediate its length to the web of the U-shaped body portion and being integrally joined at one of its ends to an end of the U-shaped body and rigidly secured at its other end to the second end of the U-shaped body, the bracing portion being of less length than the U-shaped body portion and being curved arcuately between its connection with the web of the body portion and its connections with the ends of the body portion.

5. A bracing structure for a frame having a pair of sections pivotally connected together to swing to and from position to lie in the same horizontal plane, said bracing structure comprising a substantially U shaped member, a pair of angular bracing members for each arm of the U-shaped memher, a horizontal pivot element connecting said bracing members to the adjacent arm of said U-shaped member, the jointof pivotal connection of each angular bracing member with the adjacent arm of the U- shaped member being at the junction of the arms of said angular member, said angular members being pivotally attached to the adjacent sides of said sections of the frame, at equal distances from the inner ends of said frame sections, and a stop projection on the adjacent arm of said U-shaped member for engaging with said angular members below the level of the pivotal connection of the angular members with said U-shaped member, as and for the purpose described.

6. A bracing structure for a frame having a pair of sections pivotally connected together to swing to and from position to lie in the same horizontal plane, said bracing structure comprising a substantially U- shaped member, a pair of rigid links, a sin gle horizontal pivot link attaching the adjacent end portions of said links to the adjacent arm of the U-shaped member, means pivotally attaching the outer ends of said links to the sections of said frame, at equal distances from the inner ends of said frame sections so that the upper ends of said U- shaped member will abut the underfaces of the meeting ends of said frame sections when said frame sections are horizontally alined, a stop on said adjacent arm of the U-shaped member at a level lower than said first named pivot element, and rigid extensions extending below the adjacent ends of said links for engaging with said stop when said frame sections are horizontally alined to stay said meeting ends against collapse.

JESSEE MILTON THOMAS. 

